Police Officer Dennis Hendrickson

Police Officer Dennis Hendrickson has made a career out of serving the people of both Nassau and Suffolk counties. Prior to joining the Suffolk County Police Department on September 11, 2006, P.O. Henrickson worked for the Nassau County Police Department for 16 years as an Ambulance Medical Technician and as an Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic supervisor at Nassau University Medical Center. He has also been involved in volunteer service for 34 years with both the Syosset and Manorville Fire Districts.

In 2009 he volunteered for the Medical Crisis Action Team (MedCAT) which consists of police officer tactical medics who undergo continuous training to provide advanced life support in dynamic situations, as well as advanced pre-hospital medical care.

In March 2015, Police Officer Hendrickson responded to a motor vehicle accident on the Long Island Expressway. While he was out of his police vehicle assisting a Highway Patrol Officer, another vehicle entered the shoulder of the expressway and struck him. The operator of that vehicle was charged with D.W.I. Dennis suffered extensive injuries to his right hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, neck and both knees. Since the accident, he has endured multiple surgeries on his neck and shoulder. Despite being in constant pain, Dennis returned to work in July of 2015 in a limited duty capacity. He was eventually transferred to the Police Academy, where he continued to utilize his experience as a paramedic and a MedCAT member to the benefit of the Police Department and the general public.

In 2018, he was selected to work in the Emergency Management Section where he began working on implementing “Stop the Bleed” training program for Suffolk County residents in partnership with Stony Brook University, all while continuing his training and work with MedCATH. In June of 2019 he was chosen to work in the Homeland Security Section where he worked until his retirement in June 0f 2021. Police Officer Hendricks was a vital component of the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program in relation to developing active shooter exercises. The components of the training that he revised will be utilized at all future training iterations. During Covid-19 Pandemic, Dennis stood up multiple vaccination points of dispensing (PODs). He worked tirelessly to help create these PODs, with the administration of them and serving as a vaccinator. As of his retirement, the H.S.S. and MedCAT have participated in 68 PODs where more than 20,000 NY State residents received their vaccinations.

Throughout his career, Police Officer Hendrickson has demonstrated a dedication to duty with a positive work ethic and a profound sense of serving the people of Long Island no matter the assignment. It is for this reason he was selected as the 2020 nominee for the Theodore Roosevelt Association Police Award.